50 Cheap And Creepy DIY Halloween Decor Ideas That Look Unbelievably Cool

To find out more about DIY projects for spooky season, we got in touch with Halloweenist and host of the Halloween Art and Travel Podcast, Kristen Stafford. Kristen was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda and discuss why she loves decorating for October 31st so much.

"It feels like I’m greeting long-term treasured friends when I pull out my Halloween decorations every year," she shared. "It’s a wave of excitement and nostalgia. I live for the challenge of keeping some things the same while innovating new ways to decorate."

We also asked Kristen how she decided to decorate this October. "I focused on a mixture of a cottagecore, woodland creature, and witchy decorations," she revealed. "It gives off a fairytale vibe. Blending everything together is like composing a symphony."

"I recovered two simple slip seat cushions with woodland animal fabric. Recovering slip seats is an easy DIY project that makes a huge impact. The fabric options available are endless and provide for fun and creativity," the host explained. "I also picked up some dried moss and glass display boxes from a craft store. I added multiple colors of moss to the bottom of the glass boxes and added faux bones and a few small Halloween decorations I already had on top. It looks amazing and was so easy (and no mess!)."

Finally, Kristen shared some advice for readers who may not be DIY experts but would like to participate in decorating for Halloween this year. "Start simple with your DIY decorations and build up. Paper witch hats are easy and low-cost to make. There are loads of 2D and 3D patterns available on the internet. The paper hats can then be placed on decor you already have to spook it up," she shared.

"I also recommend getting glass display boxes. It’s even easy to find coffin shaped ones. Line the bottom of the box with dried moss and then place some nature-based decorations on top, like faux bones, little Halloween collectables, plants, rocks, sticks, etc.," Kristen says.

"Another option is to put down a base of shredded black or orange paper, and then arrange marbles, candy, or collectables on top. The possibilities are endless. To elevate it even more, add a battery operated votives or fairy lights."

As October 31st approaches, you might be planning many ways to scare your friends or neighbors. Perhaps you’ll show up to the office in a mummy costume or bring a plate full of Oreo bats for your friends to devour at your Halloween party! But whether you’re preparing your little ones for trick or treating or you aim to spend the evening out at a club, it’s always fun to spice up your home with festive decorations.

That’s why groups like Halloween Decorations and DIY on Facebook are so exciting. This community, which has amassed an impressive 225K members, is “designed to inspire Halloween enthusiasts” who are looking to up their decor game, the group’s description notes. Here, you can find tasty treats, creepy decorations for your home and all sorts of creative ways to embrace the spooky season while it’s still here! 

If you’re curious about how Americans decorate for Halloween, Angi.com has got you covered. They conducted a survey last year that found that the majority of Americans who participate in spooky season make sure their decorations are up before October 9th. Nearly the same amount of people also take down their decor during the first week of November.

Over two thirds of survey respondents said that they’ll spend between three and six hours putting up Halloween decorations, and half reported that they decorate their front yards with inflatables. Nearly 73% of Americans believe that there’s nothing wrong with gory Halloween decorations, and over a third actually put up gruesome decor in their own homes. 

As far as how much Americans are willing to shell out to turn their homes into creepy attractions, a third of survey respondents said that they’ll spend between $100 and $249 each year. Over a fifth admitted that they’ll spend between $250 and $499. And certain states are willing to go all out when it comes to Halloween decor, as 28% of South Dakotans report that they’ll spend over $250 each year. Meanwhile, over a third of New Yorkers do the same.

When it comes to which decorations are most popular across the United States, a few tend to stand out. When asked which decoration homeowners would purchase if they didn’t have to worry about their budget, the most popular response was an animatronic witch, zombie or monster. A family of 12-foot skeletons was also coveted by many Americans. And in Delaware and Wisconsin, a 2-story inflatable was the most popular choice, while residents of Kansas and Oregon said they’d like to have a lifelike werewolf in their yards. 

There’s no question that Americans are willing to spend when it comes to Halloween. According to a 2023 survey from the National Retail Federation, a whopping 73% of Americans participated in Halloween-themed activities last year. It was expected that those celebrating Halloween would spend over $12.2 billion on their decor, costumes and more last year, while the average person was expected to spend over $108.  

You might be wondering how Americans can possibly spend so much on Halloween, but if you break the holiday down, it’s easy to see how it can become expensive. There’s decorations, candy to pass out to trick or treaters, costumes for yourself and your children, food and drinks for parties and more. In fact, on Halloween candy alone, Americans spend over $3 billion annually.